Of Memories and Music
by SpiritWave
Summary: When Kuroko gets an alarming phone call from the local hospital, his life is changed forever as he's forced to deal with an unexpected situation. Putting his abilities as a caretaker to use, dealing with his lover suddenly becomes much harder than anything he's ever faced.
1. Chapter 1

Hello, guys! This is actually my first longfic ever so I'm pretty nervous! This is set around 15 years in the future, and Kuroko is a teacher and Aomine is a policeman. I'm still not sure how long it will be. Huge thanks to Meow for doing a great job as a beta! Hope you like it!

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**Of Memories and Music**

Sometimes, Kuroko wondered why certain challenges had been put before him, why certain walls were erected in front of him, why he chose certain paths, and why he ignored others. But just like any day, he left these questions unanswered as the swirl of mundane life happenings consumed his time, leaving him with none whatsoever to think about anything.

The day it happened had been one of those days. He would have looked at his lover next to him in bed, smiling at the absolute wonder and happiness that the past ten years had brought for him. Even after the horrible pain he had to go through as a teenager, Kuroko, and Daiki with him, was standing stronger than ever.

The day it happened, he would have woken Daiki up for work, "Good morning." he would have said with that sleepy voice Kuroko absolutely loved; not only because it was sultry, but also because it was something completely exclusive to _him_. Kuroko would get out of bed first, and just like every morning, get into the shower, pushing Daiki out so it wouldn't lead to anything inappropriate.

He would cook their breakfast, "Boiled eggs again, huh?" Daiki would always remark, a sour expression on his face. And while he waited for the man to be done with his shower, Kuroko would write a small note for his lover, right next to his boxed lunch. 'Have a good day!'

Yes, the day it happened had been a perfectly normal day for both of them. Except perhaps when it was nearing its end, Kuroko couldn't shake off the ominous feeling in his gut. But, he was about ready to shrug it off, figuring it was just that, a bad feeling.

That is, until he got the phone call.

2:13 pm. The school day was almost over and half the teachers were cleaning up after the children that had already left while the other half was waiting for the rest of the kids' parents to come pick them up. As they worked, the shrill ringing of the phone interrupted them. Mrs. Anna was closest to the phone, so as was customary, she answered.

The blue-haired teacher ignored it for the most part, it wasn't rare for them to get calls after all; they were a school. He listened closely in case Mrs. Anna needed anything. The conversation that followed had his heart crashing down into his stomach in less than a second.

"Good day, this is Kaisei- Ah, with Mr. Kuroko?" The woman drew the last part of his name out, making him raise his head in curiosity. Kuroko let go of the toys he was holding, leaving them in an orderly bunch on the floor. He stopped dead in his tracks when the female teacher continued. "Aomine Daik-" Her eyes widened in shock, filling with fear and worry as she looked over at her colleague. She mouthed the place he needed to go to, and with a curt nod, he was off.

"Sakurabana Hospital."

When Kuroko got to the building, huffing and trembling from the effort of running for ten minutes straight, he could hear his heart thundering in his chest. Everything hurt; his bones and muscles aching from the strain and his lungs from being overworked. Paying no heed to his condition, the man rushed through the doors, darting his eyes around everywhere in less than twenty seconds. He _needed _to know where Daiki was, what had happened to him; anything! The pain in his chest wouldn't let up, and the teacher's breathing was out of control, not because of the exercise, but out of sheer fear.

Kuroko finally noticed the reception desk, partially hidden, by a pair of _plants_. Angered and worried, he quickly moved over to the counter, and in an almost loud voice for his standards, of course, begged to know where the love of his life was.

The woman at the desk gave him a warm smile and tried to sooth his nerves before answering. "That'll be down the hall to the left; A and E." Kuroko was running before she was even done, barely looking at his surroundings. When he saw the big, red flashing 'A&E' symbol, the man halted. Would he regret going in there? Would he like what he saw? Was Daiki alright? Forcing these thoughts out of his head, and with the steel determination that had gotten him through most of his hardships in life, he pushed the two doors open, readying his heart for what was to come.

Walking past the endless doors, 'Where is he? Where is Daiki?', the pale man noticed one of his lover's colleagues in the waiting area. Relieved at the sight, the policeman ran over to him, and bowed low in apology. "I'm so sorry, Mr. Ku-"

"Please." Interrupted Kuroko.

Daiki's colleague looked up, a questioning look in his eyes.

"Please." He began again, his voice trembling as he tried to calm himself. "Please, just tell me what happened."

They both sat down, the taller man fidgeting as he tried to explain the situation. The other man looked like his soul had been stolen, ripped out from his core. Steeling himself, the policeman began.

"We were apprehending a group of kids. A bunch of idiots that thought 'forming a gang' would be cool. The only thing they did was beat up people." He let out a shaky breath before continuing. "We could ignore it at first because their standard for beating up was pretty low. It's quite common in high school, but then things got worse. Teenagers, mostly boys, but some girls, too, were popping up in the hospital every day. They all pointed their fingers at the same group of people, so we figured it was time to do something."

Daiki's colleague could see Kuroko's impatience, so he got to the point. "We tried to ambush them, followed a kid we knew was their next target, and waited. They got there, and we were quite surprised when we only saw three of them. Once we secured them and got them into the cars, Mr. Aomine stayed behind to get the kid to safety." Kuroko smiled in pain, of course Aomine would do that. God forbid letting the poor boy walk himself home; he shook his head in resigned acceptance and put it in his hands. "And…?"

"We were too naïve. There were four more kids waiting to ambush _us_. Since Mr. Aomine was the last one left, he had to deal with all of them, and protecting the kid. Did a damn good job at that, at least. We tried to help, but the brats ran away before we could do anything. Of course, we would have chased them, but one look at Mr. Aomine…" The policeman looked over at Kuroko, wincing.

"They were too many. I don't know how exactly, but they hurt his head pretty badly. Mr. Aomine was bleeding profusely, and there were a couple of blood bats on the floor." The pale man started letting out shaky breaths in an effort to calm himself down. Looking over at his lover's colleague, he took the younger man's hands in his and asked, "Is he…" Kuroko wheezed and choked on air, not wanting to finish the sentence. Liquid was starting to build up in his eyes, and the teacher wasn't even sure what to ask anymore. "Is he fine?"

The taller of the two put removed his hands from Kuroko's grip, and averted his eyes. "That's the thing, Mr. Kuroko… I don't _know._"

A thousand emotions surged through him in that instance. Relief, because he wasn't… He wasn't confirmed _dead. _He still had a chance! Worry, because he didn't know what had happened. Seething anger, at the stupid brats who had done this to _the love of his life_. Pride, because in the end, Daiki still did what was right and protected the poor boy. But most of all, he was overwhelmed by fear. Fear of what could happen, fear of the unknown. Terrified, because he wasn't sure what was going on. Terrified, because what if he _was _dead?

Scared thoughts started filling him, what if he would never hear him talk again? See him smile again? All those days they would sit in front of the TV and do nothing but hold each other; all those times Daiki would hug him closely to his chest and kiss all of his thoughts away, was that over? Was it gone forever?

Just as Kuroko was about to lose his head, somebody called his name. Shocked, with his eyes wide open, he looked for the source of the voice beckoning him. After a couple of seconds his eyes fell on a tall man. Relief filled him intensely when he saw who it was.

"Midorima." The said man cocked his head in recognition and pushed his glasses up with his untaped fingers. "Yes, it's been a long time, Kuroko." The teacher bowed. "Yes. But-" Midorima knowingly interrupted him before he had even started. "About Aomine, yes?" Kuroko nodded slowly in correspondence, hope filling his eyes as he waited for Midorima to speak.

"I have good news and bad news."

Without skipping a beat, Kuroko answered. "Good news first, please." The second part worried him, but any type of good news was almost vital to him by now.

Midorima smiled lightly, and just like any good doctor, put his hand on Kuroko's frail shoulder. "Kuroko, Aomine is alive."

It was like a giant weight had been lifted from his shoulders. His knees buckled, and he fell to the floor, wracking sobs coursing through his body. 'He's alive. He's alive.' His trembling hands were kept close to his heart, and Kuroko couldn't help the endless stream of tears that were falling on the floor, or the giant smile that wouldn't leave his face. "Thank goodness. Thank goodness." Relief and happiness were all he felt, as a picture of Daiki's face, his smiling, glowing, absolutely perfect face filled his mind. His laughter, his voice, everything that was Daiki. Midorima was kind enough to let him finish having his little moment.

Once he settled down a bit, Kuroko tried to stand up, but his stone-heavy legs wouldn't let him, he was suddenly exhausted, physically and emotionally, but the doctor helped him up, now placing both of his hands on his shoulders, with a very severe look in his eyes. "Now, for the bad news. I need you to be calm. Can you be?" Kuroko shook his head in agreement, although he felt very far from calm.

"Alright then." Midorima made sure to sit the shorter man in one of the seats, Daiki's colleague next to him. "His head was beat severely. Blunt trauma, and while we've managed to clean and close the wound, there _was _brain damage." Kuroko breathed in, his body trembling once again. The alleviation he had felt just seconds ago was swept away in a torrent of renewed fear. Midorima sent a pitying glance at him before continuing. "The damage was mostly done to the back of his head, a very sensitive area, and we honestly can't tell what's going to happen. There are endless possibilities, but I'm not sadistic enough to sit you through all of them."

Kuroko let out a tiny laugh at the comment, even if he wasn't really up to it, good ol' Midorima to cheer him up in the strangest of ways. The doctor motioned Kuroko to follow him, now that he was calm. "We moved him to another floor while you arrived. He's been here for some time, and should be resting. In all honesty, Kuroko," Said the doctor in a very somber tone. "he's very lucky." They walked down the hall and then into an elevator, floor seven which read 'Traumatic Brain Injury.' As they waited for the elevator to arrive, Midorima spoke again. "Both of you are. I don't believe in such things as god, but I'd dare call his survival a miracle." He then shrugged. "Well, today _was_ a good day for Virgos."

The 'ching' of the elevator announced they had arrived, and the door opened soon after. Midorima picked up the pace and walked them to the room at the end of the hallway, with a tile at the side reading 'Aomine Daiki.'

With his heart in his throat, Kuroko opened the door, not knowing what to expect. The room was blindingly white. There was a big window on the wall farthest from him, and a bed with several little machines near it. On the bed, was Daiki. With a bandage covering most of his head, his eyes closed and countless machines connected to him, but nonetheless, Daiki. Kuroko had never felt so relieved just from looking at the color of his skin or the size of his hands, knowing perfectly, that this was indeed his lover. Alive, breathing, _here_.

There was a chair next to the bed, and the teacher immediately sat down on it, touching Daiki's hand and holding it tightly in his own. He let his other hand rest on the unconscious man's face, caressing it. Standing at the door, Midorima cleared his throat in embarrassment, but Kuroko couldn't care less. He kept at it until the doctor got over it. "Alright, then." Began Midorima. "Let's get down to business."

Kuroko stood up from his chair, and both men shared a heavy look. "The injury was serious, so recovery, if all goes well and there aren't any unexpected inconveniences, should take around six months." The shorter man gasped. "Six _months_?" The doctor nodded. "If all goes well. There _have_ been some cases where recovery takes less, but far more where it takes longer."

Kuroko sighed disappointedly and waited for Midorima to finish. "We'd like to keep him here for some time. Of course, only if it's what you want, and you'd have to sign a few forms. Do you have insurance?"

Kuroko nodded. "Yes, of course."

"Alright, then." The taller man pushed his glasses up again, checking Daiki's vitals. "He's stable now, but to have him completely recover we need to see the damage first. Aomine's definitely going to have to stay overnight, and probably until he wakes up. It shouldn't take too long. Once we see if he's had any… _severe _consequences due to the brain damage, we'll act accordingly." Kuroko wasn't exactly sure, but he was too scared to ask what these 'severe consequences' were.

"I'd recommend you go home for today, Kuroko. Get some rest. I don't think Aomine would like to wake up to you overworked and burned down to your wits from the worry." The teacher agreed, he was exhausted and could use some sleep, not to mention he had to go to work tomorrow. But he didn't want to leave just yet. Kuroko informed his old teammate he would stay for a few more minutes, and Midorima left them to spend a few minutes alone. Complaining about how Kuroko never listened to his sound advice.

Once he was gone, Kuroko sat down again, dropping his chest and head on Daiki's bead, careful not to hurt him. Holding his hand tightly, Kuroko started talking. "You scared me so much." He moved his thumbs soothingly over his lover's, chanting a chorus of 'I love you's. Kuroko stayed like this for ten minutes, and after looking at the clock, decided it was time to go home.

Just as the man was about to leave, he looked back one last time at Daiki mouthing 'Please, be okay.'

Kuroko tried to work as usual, being very dedicated to his job, but by the time the first day was over, he had messed up at least fifteen times, and he knew no one scolded him because he was in a difficult situation. This only increased his already numerous guilt-trips. The teacher would visit Daiki in the evening, staring at his unmoving form for hours on end, and only leaving once Midorima asked him to go home, once visiting hours were over.

Sleep was minimal and precious when he did get it, as worry overtook his being at night. He would finally fall asleep at dawn, only to have the alarm clock wake him five minutes later.

The second day wasn't any better, Kuroko's sight was blurry, and his eyes were puffy. He would forget things and his appetite had gone down the drain. The teacher was dismissed early from work that day. A part deep inside him was relieved because he could take it easy, but the rest of him was disappointed with himself. He should be able to work, it was his _job. _Later in the day, once with Daiki, Kuroko also noted it served as a distraction; one he needed very much.

Just as the previous night, Kuroko stayed until the visiting hours were over, but this time he was woken up by Midorima. Strangely enough, his own bed left him restless, even if it was much more comfortable than the one in the hospital.

The third day was just as terrible as the others, barely able to function from the lack of sleep, the children gave him strange looks. He decided to go the infirmary and maybe rest for an hour, but Mrs. Anna informed Kuroko of an urgent call just as he was about to leave the classroom. Midorima had compelled him to get to the hospital as quickly as possible, and had even gone as far to call him from his private cell phone. The teacher didn't know if he should've been excited or scared, but moving his doubts to the back of his mind, he ran for Sakurabana.

By now, he knew where to go, so when he arrived at the building, Kuroko glanced at the receptionist and nodded as a greeting. On the elevator, he urgently pressed the big fat button that had a '7' on it.

Down the corridor, and with shaky hands, the pale man pushed the doors to Daiki's room open, his eyes zeroing in on his lover immediately.

Kuroko's hands dropped to his sides, and his mouth was wide open in shock. Tears filled his eyes to the brim, and the man was helpless to stop them from falling, only wiping them away with his sleeves once they started accumulating uncomfortably on his chin. He was grinning like an idiot, but Kuroko couldn't care less, heck, even Midorima was smiling at him.

Daiki was awake. His eyes were open, perhaps a bit sluggishly, but open nonetheless. His mouth was moving, and making _sounds._

He was going to be okay. Daiki was going to be okay.

The doctor left the room, trying to give them some space, only pulling Kuroko away to quietly tell him he shouldn't 'ask too many questions at a time' or 'flood him with emotions.' The teacher easily agreed, eager to just be able to _talk _to Daiki, to hug him, feel him, and put his hands over his chest and feel the living heart beneath beat.

Once Midorima was gone, Kuroko took the seat next to Daiki's bed and smiled at him. The taller man didn't smile back, and refrained from any type of contact with him. When he tried to hold Daiki's hand, the policeman just avoided him and glared. Kuroko stopped trying to touch him, after all, Daiki _had _just woken up. The teacher figured it was because he had just woken up, and was still disoriented.

But Daiki became angrier, and Kuroko's confusion increased, too. Beginning to get hurt, he was about to speak, but the mocha-skinned man beat him to it.

"Where's mom?" Kuroko's eyebrows shot up in surprise, and then furrowed in confusion, momentarily forgetting his hurt feelings. Last time he had checked, Daiki and his mother had been fighting for the better part of twelve years.

The policeman wore an increasingly panicky expression, starting to fidget and look around the room, apparently expecting someone who _wasn't_ his lover to appear.

"Where's dad?" By this point, Kuroko was just angry. He had gone through hell on Earth just _worrying _about him, not sleeping and barely being able to work, and Daiki dared pull a such a stupid joke on him? Now? From the stories the younger man would tell him, it would seem he and his father had been fighting since he was a _fetus._

Just as Kuroko was about to lash out, it dawned on him, hitting him like a ton of bricks. Shocked to the core, and unable to move, he was about to ask the question that would confirm his suspicions. But just as Daiki shook his head and muttered 'whatever', his world came crashing down.

"Anyway, who the hell are you?"

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I don't have a lot to say about this.. I may change the name of the fic later. I'm not too sure about it, since I know where this is going but naming things is possibly the hardest thing for me to do. Also, the ending is so cliched I could cry. I wanted to write more so I could prove the story itself isn't as cliched as it seems, but yeah...

First chapter and so much angst already! I'm a sucker for angst, so I'm sorry. (Just not really.)

Anyway, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed!

Tats, SW.


	2. Chapter 2

God this chapter was hell to write. It's pretty long and my back still hurts from it XD Second chapter! I hope you can enjoy it~

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Kuroko felt like his vital force had been stolen away from him, as if his whole life had been a lie. Strength leaving his entire body, he slumped in his seat while he processed the question. As if his heart had been ripped out of his chest and his brain smashed into his skull, the steady beat that gave his being life stopped for a minute and the rest of his body ceased all functions. His ears closed off to the world, unable to hear. His mouth stopped working and his breathing slowed to an almost deathly rate. The tips of his pale fingers felt cold and numb and his eyes couldn't focus at all.

The bright sunlight coming in from the gigantic window suddenly bothered him, and had Kuroko had the strength in him, he would have shielded his eyes from it. His body felt very heavy and an urge to hug himself tightly and just sleep forever overtook him. In the background, the teacher could vaguely make out a stream of swear words and insults in an increasingly angry voice. His lover's voice.

Kuroko was knocked out of his stupor, as Daiki's big hands grabbed him from his shirt's collar. His face was contorted in worried anger, lines forming little bulges around his eyes and forehead. It reminded Kuroko of the time Daiki was always angry. Angry at everything and at nothing, at himself and at everyone.

He didn't move, not only out of fear of the intensity in his lover's eyes, but because he physically _couldn't. _His legs were like stone and his arms only felt suddenly raised his fist behind his head, shouting something Kuroko's unhearing ears couldn't quite catch, not that he wanted to, really. The teacher laughed bitterly, realizing that Daiki was strong enough to knock him out, and honestly, that was a far better alternative to what was happening right now.

Just as the dark-skinned man pulled his fist back in preparation, he suddenly slumped, both his hands retreating from Kuroko's form. He fell back into the bed with what sounded like a painful 'poof', the bed squeaking in protest. Daiki's eyes rolled back into his head, and just like that, he was out like a light.

Fearing the worst, Kuroko's vitality suddenly returned to his body, adrenaline and worry fueling him. He ran outside, stopping at the door and looking sideways for Midorima. The doctor was in front of the elevator, apparently just coming up from one of the lower floors. His eyes wandered to where Kuroko was, and with one look at his ghostly pale face, he sprinted towards him, asking what was wrong.

The teacher tried to explain, but no words left his mouth. After the third time he failed to say anything, Midorima just shook his head and ordered him to stay outside and to 'calm down for a moment.' Having the door to the room nearly slammed in his face, Kuroko leaned on the wall next to it. Sliding down, he hugged himself tightly as a feeling similar to déjà-vu overwhelmed him.

The same worry from three days ago, the panic, the fear. It was all coming back to him in a rush, and the only thought going through his mind was 'Please', over and over again. Just like the last time, Midorima was the one to pull him out from his panic attack, but this time, his expression wasn't pitying or worried. It was simply irritated.

"Aomine is fine." He shook his head angrily when he saw Kuroko's expression light up. "He's unconscious because he moved around too much." Now pointedly glaring at Kuroko, he asked. "What did you do? I told you to try and not-"

"I didn't do anything." Kuroko's voice trembled, and once again, tears formed in his eyes. This time however, he refused to let them fall. "I didn't do anything at all, he just-" He stopped momentarily, not wanting his voice to crack in front of the doctor.

His expression changing from anger to worry, Midorima kneeled down in front of Kuroko, forcing his arms to unwrap from around himself, and staring directly into his eyes. "I need you to breathe in," Kuroko did as he was told, "and breathe out." Once again, Kuroko followed the instructions, and Midorima did it with him, ten times; counted. Once it was done, he could feel the fear being pushed to the back of his mind, but still present. Midorima smiled at him.

"Alright. I need you to tell me what happened. Can you do that and stay calm?" Kuroko nodded, lifting himself up with Midorima following shortly.

Taking in a deep breath, Kuroko explained the situation. The doctor encouraged him and paid close attention, and once Kuroko was done, he nodded in understanding.

"Are you okay?" Kuroko nodded slowly, appreciative of Midorima's less formal language, as if he were talking to a close friend. Of course, he stopped immediately.

"It is very normal for patients to be extremely disoriented when they first wake up from head trauma. Especially from one as severe as Aomine's." The teacher looked up at Midorima, his eyes filling with hope at the possibility of not all being lost. "But-" Began the doctor, his eyes closing as if it were painful for him to speak the next words. "If this persists, I am afraid to inform that Aomine could have indeed suffered grave consequences from the blow."

Kuroko's legs gave out on him, and he had to lay his head back on the wall he had previously leaned on. Once again, as fast as lightning, the doctor was with him, placing his hands on his shoulders. "Go home. This is a lot to take in. Just get some rest."

This time Kuroko didn't have it in him to disobey, and so he picked his things up from Daiki's room. He went home, taking extra care not to make any noise so as to not wake the other man.

Another couple of days passed, and while the teacher wasn't in much better shape than before, he was able to work, but just barely. His appetite didn't improve, and just as the last time, he didn't sleep much. Midorima politely asked him to not come over until he called him, in a tone that was more threatening than it was pleading. Because really, seventeen years of knowing each other allowed for such attitudes.

Kuroko didn't leave his phone out of his sight, and he had already asked the school's principal, Mrs. Mayumi, for permission to leave whenever should he require it. The principal accepted easily, and even suggested he take a week off. "You look exhausted, and with plenty of reason to be." Obviously, the teacher refused profusely and bowing curtly, went back to work.

Once the second day was over, Kuroko got the call he had anxiously anticipated. The phone rang with a the specific ringtone he had set for Midorima after the third call from someone else; he had decided it was bad for his heart. The teacher eagerly snapped his cell phone open and just the sound of Midorima's voice had him off like a bullet.

Bidding his students goodbye and picking his things off, he headed for the hospital.

Once outside the room, he could hear Midorima's and Daiki's voice through the door. Kuroko decided to stay where he was to let the doctor finish whatever he was doing, and also to hopefully calm his own heart. The teacher wasn't sure what to expect, and a part of him wanted to turn tail and run. He steeled himself when he saw Midorima come close to the door, and once he was outside, he moved him out of Daiki's sight.

Closing the door behind him, the doctor shook his head at Kuroko. "I'm not too sure you should go in right now. He's been calm for a while, and I don't know what will happen if he sees any new faces."

"New faces…?" Kuroko rushed past Midorima, who made a valiant effort to stop him, but in the end failed. Walking into the room, the doctor followed closely in case something happened. He figured he might as well get this over with as soon as possible.

The teacher walked into the room and looked over to Daiki. The taller man was looking out the window, his expression peaceful and undisturbed. Kuroko tentatively took a seat next to the bed, walking slowly and softly to not bother him.

Once seated, he waited for the man to notice him. Slowly turning his head towards Kuroko, his face lit up in something the teacher painfully realized wasn't recognition. At least not the type of recognition he had been expecting.

"You're the dude from the other day." It wasn't a question, it was a fact. And Daiki didn't seem even a tiny bit pleased about it. His eyebrows were furrowed in subdued animosity and he was leaning away from the shorter man.

Kuroko stood still, his heart dropping into the pits of his stomach, crestfallen. The teacher had genuinely hoped that when he came back, his life would be back to normal. Of course, he would have to be extra-careful around his lover, perhaps put up with a ridiculous amount of whining and maybe even indulge him, but not this.

Not having Daiki see him as a stranger, his face showing no sign of recognition or love when he laid his eyes on the smaller man. Not being unable to touch Daiki at all when all he wanted was to hug and kiss him, tell him 'I love you' and 'Don't ever do that to me again' over and over until Daiki was sick and tired of hearing it. Not going home and being unable to say 'It's over' and then move on in his peaceful and uneventful life.

Seventeen years of knowing each other, fighting, forgiving, fighting again, forgiving again, falling in love; and it was all down the drain? Worth nothing? Their daily routines, the silly inside jokes they had, the warm moments in front of the sofa, the smile that lit up Daiki's face whenever he made his favorite foods… All the pain, all the tears shed for the sake of each other, everything… gone?

Kuroko looked up from his hands, white from the clenching his jeans tightly. Taking a very, very deep breath, he forced a smile and summoned strength from places unknown. He lifted his trembling hand and held it out for Daiki to shake. The policeman's face softened and hesitantly shook Kuroko's hand.

"Hello, I'm Kuroko Tetsuya." His voice was strong and confident, a feat managed with no little amount of effort. From the corner of his eyes, the teacher could see how Midorima looked away in empathy. Daiki looked between him and the doctor, confusion showing on his face. "Er…" He started. "I'm Aomine Daiki." Kuroko's heart shattered when he heard him and had it not been for his unrelenting strength, he would have shakily let out 'I know.'

Daiki quickly looked over to Midorima and much more brashly added. "Is this the nurse?" He seemed disappointed, as if the 'nurse' was not up to his standards. "That's lame. I thought hospitals were supposed to give you big-boobed nurses!" Kuroko's jaw dropped much lower than he would have liked and almost immediately, memories of a fourteen-year-old Daiki surfaced in his mind, the shock blocking his pain for a moment.

Midorima sighed from behind him and shook his head. "It's like he's fourteen all over again. The similarities between his middle school self and himself right now are a bit unnerving." Kuroko couldn't agree more, and while he was still in shock, as the adult in the situation, he felt a bit of control flow into his hands.

The doctor leaned down to whisper into his ear. "You're the first person who's managed to get anything out of him." Midorima paused and almost in regret asked him for a small favor. "I know this may be painful, but you've managed to do in a second what no one on my team could do in two days. Please ask him some basic questions; we need to know his current mindset."

The teacher stared at Midorima, and then back at Daiki. The green-haired man gave him a tap on the shoulder as if to encourage him. Kuroko nodded, pain still overwhelming him, and the same exhaustion from everything still present. He understood what and why he needed to do it, but that didn't make it any less painful.

"Alright, then." He began slowly and got closer to Daiki, who, to Midorima's surprise didn't flinch away at the proximity. "Okay." Clearing his throat, Kuroko decided on the questions he would ask.

"Dai-" Kuroko cut himself short and Daiki himself started showing signs of anggression again, his eyes flashed bright in a way that screamed 'Don't call me by my first name, stranger.' And really, right now, in Daiki's life who was he? Forcing his habit out- it wasn't even habit, it was natural, he started again.

"Aomine." Kuroko didn't like the way that rolled off his tongue, which was ridiculous since that's what he had called Daiki for at least eight years. "Who are your parents?" Kuroko already knew the answer, but he wasn't sure Daiki did. "What? Psshhh." Daiki laughed throatily, the laugh that would always make Kuroko's stomach flutter and as always, it wasn't any different this time. "Aomine Daiki the first and Munakata Mei."

Both the teacher and the doctor dipped their heads in relief, at least the man knew that much. "Okay, then. Do you know who Doctor Midorima is?" The policeman nodded groggily, as if he couldn't understand why he was being asked such questions. "He's my doctor. I hit my head, yeah?" Kuroko sighed in relief, had Daiki remembered Midorima and not him…

Kuroko shook his head and tried to concentrate on not breaking down and simply asking Daiki the questions. "Who are your friends?" At this, Aomine averted his eyes sullenly and looked outside the window. The way his big hands clenched in his bed sheets wasn't left unnoticed by Kuroko's sharp eyes. "Satsuki." Kuroko felt for him, the other man having told him many times he was very much alone as a child. Which brought on the next series of questions.

"Where are you working?"

Daiki's face showed increasing bewilderment, his eyebrows furrowing as he started at the teacher. "Uh… Working?" He asked. "I don't work." The policeman then laughed nervously. "I mean, I'm just about to start Middle School?" Midorima and Kuroko stared at each other, and the taller of the two pushed him to ask the last question, knowing it would confirm his assumptions.

Holding on to his hands tightly, Kuroko breathed in. "How old are you?"

"Thirteen." Kuroko gasped, and Midorima sighed in resignation. The teacher heard him say 'just as I feared' but was far more preoccupied with other things to really pay attention.

Daiki laughed, putting his right hand behind his head. "I get that a lot, I had a sudden growth spurt a couple of months ago and I grew a lot. A _lot._"

Midorima thanked Daiki for answering the questions, which only earned him a glare. He grabbed Kuroko by the arm and slowly pushed him out. "Come on." The teacher easily complied, not putting up a fight.

Outside, Midorima started to explain. "As I thought, he has amnesia." Kuroko acknowledged him but didn't really want to hear what the doctor was saying. "Alright, I need you to listen and listen well." They moved to a private room, Midorima's office, which was on the same floor, three doors down on the left from the patient's.

It was tiny but it had everything the taller man needed. A desk and three chairs; two in front of it and one behind. A coffee-maker, something Midorima would need early in the morning, and tools for his trade. An assortment of his lucky items of the day was littered around the small empty spaces in the room. It was cozily decorated, with the patient's comfort in mind, but with Midorima's style heavily influencing it.

The doctor forced Kuroko to sit down and gave him a cup of warm coffee. Preparing one for himself, he started to speak. "Aomine has something called retrograde amnesia. It happens when the area around the hippocampus gets damaged. The recovery rate is high, but it's a slow process." Kuroko listened intensely as Midorima explained, hope and relief increasing the more the doctor talked. Yes, it had been serious and yes, it was a dangerous and complicated situation, but there was still the possibility that Daiki would be fine. A very high possibility, too.

It had been the best news Kuroko had heard in days, and he slumped in the chair, exhausted. However, Midorima had one last piece of news to deliver, and it wasn't a pleasant one. "Kuroko," Midorima tested the waters, hoping to lessen the blow as much as he possibly could. "Aomine can't stay with you."

The teacher was a smart man, he had been expecting this. It wouldn't be healthy to let the man, no, boy into the house of a stranger, for him at least. He should go back to the place where he felt most comfortable or where he was used to being the most. The obvious choice for this wasn't their department; it was Daiki's parent's house. Knowing this didn't make it any easier to accept, though.

"We would have liked to keep him for a little more but he's emotionally stable right now, and I think he should start a recovery process as fast as possible." Kuroko agreed whole-heartedly, and he would have gladly sent him if he got any better because of it. The problem was, Daiki's parents didn't make for a home-like environment. In fact, they were so far from it that new worries sprung up in his mind.

"Sending him to his parents' house is the best solution. And I understand if you don't want-" Kuroko shook his head swiftly. "No, No. I agree."

"Do you want me to call them?" Both of them knew what Daiki's parents were like. Neither really wanted to call, but the teacher figured it was his responsibility as Daiki's lover. He was far more worried by the possible reaction he would get than by actually calling his in-laws.

"I'll call them." Midorima nodded, he pointed at the phone on his desk and left quietly, closing the door behind him. The man picked up the phone, taking a couple of minutes before dialing the number he knew by heart since he was thirteen. He waited for one of the multiple maids to pick up. The dial rang four times and finally a soft 'Hello?' could be heard on the other end of the line.

"Is this Aomine Daiki's residence?" Silence on the other end. "Yes, but he doesn't live here anymore." Kuroko felt bitter, the tone the woman had answered with and the one she used now was entirely different. Cold and uncaring, probably instigated by Daiki's mother. "I need to speak with Aomine Mei. It's about his son." Once again, silence from the woman, but he could hear her run somewhere and then murmurs in the background. The maid answered after a few minutes of what Kuroko could overhear to be screaming.

"May I ask who you are?" Kuroko wanted to use a different name than his own, just so the cold-hearted woman Aomine called his mother would listen to him, but he decided against it. This was important and if Mrs. Aomine couldn't even force herself to listen to him for her own child's sake, then she no longer deserved a place in Daiki's life. "This is Kuroko Tetsuya."

The woman on the other line gasped. "I'm terribly sorry but I've just been informed Mrs. Aomi-" Kuroko could almost feel his blood boil as anger swept most of his reason away. Kuroko didn't get angry, or 'pissed' as Daiki would have put it. He got irritated, stressed and flustered, but not angry. Right now, though, for the first time in his life, he felt the urge to kill somebody. Preferably the woman on the other end of the line. "Tell Mrs. Aomine" he said almost sarcastically, something only noticeable to himself. "-that her son is in the hospital, and that he was almost killed. I think that will make her want to grace me with her voice."

The phone clattered and he heard a woman's voice say 'Give me that', before answering. "What is it?" Kuroko had to suck in his anger, lashing out at his lover's mother would get him nowhere. He explained the situation as calmly and slowly as he possibly could, and the woman stayed silent for most of the conversation. When he was finished, Mrs. Aomine once again ruined his expectations of her as a parent.

"And? He's alive, isn't he?" It sounded careless, as if she simply couldn't be bothered with her son's well-being. "You ruined my child. You made him into an unrecognizable person and even made him a heretic_. _He was supposed to inherit his father's company, but because of what you did to him…"

Kuroko rolled his eyes, he couldn't even be angered by her attitude anymore. Daiki's parents had loved Kuroko as their child's best friend, since he was so polite and 'helped Daiki study'. The moment they had found out that the countless years of friendship they had shared had turned their relationship romantic; they closed the door on both of them, pointing their fingers at Kuroko for forcing his homosexuality on their precious and innocent son.

"And so, that child is no longer mine, nor is he my or my husband's responsibility. You take care of him." Kuroko was shocked to the core. How far would this woman go? How far did she need to take this until she would stop acting like a stranger to her own boy? He felt overwhelmed by the urge to slam the phone down in its case, but was stopped one last time by the woman's voice. "I'll make sure that the brats get caught." She then hung up.

Midorima and the teacher made preparations. Kuroko signed everything that needed to be signed, listened for instructions to take care of Daiki, and paid for what needed to be paid. The doctor was ready to discharge him on the spot, saying he really needed some human contact outside the hospital if he were to regain his memories. His head would be fine as long as he didn't do anything stupid. No sudden movements, no touching, no jostling. All that was left was telling Daiki.

Informing him was a lot easier than what Kuroko originally thought it would be. The man seemed disappointed, but there wasn't enough anger or desperation. His fiery personality had dwindled down to a burned-out child, and he would barely talk afterwards. He was used to it, Kuroko realized. Used to his parents not taking care of him, used to being abandoned, used to being alone, used to being left in the care of complete strangers. And while this pained Kuroko, it made things remarkably easier for the transfer.

The man-teenager apologized to Kuroko for his earlier outburst, his voice soft and a faint flush in his cheeks telling the man of Daiki's embarrassment. Kuroko waved his apology away, saying that all was fine as long as it didn't happen again.

Once everything was said and done, it was almost 7PM. Midorima handed him a couple of papers outlining his instructions, 'just so you won't forget' and advised him to come back once a week. Kuroko agreed easily, a part of him very happy that he could at least help his lover recover, no matter how hard the road would be.

After both Daiki and Kuroko said goodbye to the nurses and the doctor, they set for the department.

The walk home was silent and uncomfortable, and Aomine was fidgeting the whole way. It was quite obvious to Kuroko he had a couple of questions for the man, but refrained from asking. Why? Kuroko wasn't sure, but he would have even gone as far as to call it cute. Daiki was still 6'3, but hunched and averting his eyes every time the teacher caught him looking at him made him look smaller, almost as if he were a child. Kuroko was unable to stop the small smile that formed on his face whenever Daiki looked away.

Exhausted, the teacher finally reached their apartment, twenty stories tall and in the middle of one of the most crowded streets of the city. Trees lined the sidewalk, but at this time of night, no souls were present. On the outside, the building was a warm orange, almost white. Once inside, though, it was pearly beige with brown and orange décor.

They got on the elevator, left hand from the lobby and as they got on, Kuroko pushed the button for the fourth floor, breathing a sigh of relief. He was finally home, and he even had Daiki with him. He just hoped the other man could get used to it and eventually recover his memory, eventually call this place home again.

Once inside, Kuroko set him up, letting Daiki sleep in the bed since he was the sick one. While this surprised the man, he figured it was because Kuroko was just another one of the people his mother had hired to take care of him.

On the couch, Kuroko cried silently, biting as his lip as he tried to sleep. When he woke up it was already morning.

* * *

No beta this time, I'm uploading this hot from the oven, and I'll probably end up regretting it, too. Oh, well. More angst, aggressive!Aomine and wow is this story slow. Next chapter we'll have Little teenaged shit Aomine fuck some things up. Not that he hasn't always, but whatever.

Tats, SW.

snorthing anthrax with the pope


	3. Chapter 3

I can't even begin to apologize for how late this is. Real life caught up with me and I'm really sorry. I hope it's a good chapter for any of you who're still reading.

Enough delaying, though! Here it is.

* * *

Getting ready for work wasn't easy. They'd formed a routine together, in which neither could really step out of the house on time without the other's help, and Kuroko was reminded of it when he instinctively put his hand out for the coffee he thought should be ready, but wasn't- a surge of pain flittering through him. At the very least, he thought thankfully, Daiki didn't have the energy a thirteen-year-old threw around; having his much older body, but it was easy to forget that the boy literally knew nothing of their lifestyle. He'd walk around the flat multiple times and stare bewilderedly at his own hands as they recognized the texture of things he'd never seen once in his life. Eye contact was non-existent, and when Kuroko made breakfast for the both of them, Daiki looked like a stranger in a stranger's house (and wasn't he, really?), eating with delicacy and apparent manners he was quite sure the man didn't even posses.

Leaving for work was even harder than preparing for it; Kuroko had to account for at least thirty different things that hadn't even crossed his mind on the previous day, having had to deal with far more important and worrying circumstances. Leaving food so his charge (how he hated to call him that, but he was a thirteen year old, they didn't know each other, and Kuroko refused to taint a child's innocence with a burden as heavy as 'lover') wouldn't have to take a swing at the kitchen and possibly burn or cut half his hands off, explaining to the boy where things were, setting boundaries, calling Daiki's workplace, updating Midorima every couple of days…

He glanced at the clock to see how much time he had left, and sat down with a slump a pensive look on his face as a sudden and slightly unwelcome amount of responsibility fell on his shoulders. The two of them were, in the past and for twelve years, lovers. They held hands, shared kisses long and hot, and short and sweet; they had one bed for the two of them, and one house the same. They were the very definition of two people that were in love.

Now he had to be a parent to his lover, a figure to look up to, for as long as Daiki remained memory less, and well, that wasn't a certain amount of time at all.

Kuroko was brought out of his unpleasant thoughts as a clutter of falling utensils reached his ears. Alarmed, he rushed to the source, but soon stopped when he was met by a startled boy on the floor, forks and spoons in disarray around him.

"Are you-" Kuroko's voice failed him as Daiki flinched and quickly looked away, an apologetic slump in his frame. The teacher took the sight in, and sighed as dread for the next 'undisclosed time period' filled him.

He looked vulnerable.

It wasn't like Daiki, he realized; it just didn't sit well with him. The man barely accepted feelings as a whole, and he had a much harder time showing them. When he did, he was usually dead-drunk and was exclusively in the company of Kuroko. It was off-putting to see him in a state of such confusion, but at the same time, it just proved how much help the boy really needed.

He kneeled in front of his charge, and placed his hands on his shoulders as gently as he could. "Are you okay?" Midnight-colored eyes still not daring to look at his own, he nodded. "Since I'm gonna stay here for a while, I figured I might as well learn to get around." Kuroko chuckled lightly, standing up and forcing Daiki with him and towards the living room, where the sofa and TV sat.

The teacher handed the TV's controller to the man, explicitly told him to _stay put _at least ten times (of course paraphrasing, even when he was 30, he stopped listening after the first repetition, it seemed.) until in a Daiki-like manner, he rolled his eyes at Kuroko, a 'yeah yeah' soft on his tongue.

Pleased with the reaction, and late already, Kuroko went to the door, house keys in his right pocket and his phone in the other one. He glanced at the boy for a second, and spoke. "Don't be afraid to call, should you need anything." Daiki of course, waved him off, something in the television already captivating his short-spanned attention.

Just as he crossed the threshold and was out in the corridor, his phone vibrated. Kuroko fished his phone out, and answered.

"Mr. Kuroko?" It was his boss. He welcomed her voice.

"Yes, Mrs. Mayumi?" A cough on the other side of the call, and the principal continued. "How is everything working out with Mr. Aomine?"

While it was expected, it didn't mean he wanted to deal with answering. Kuroko bit his lip as he worried over how much to tell the director, but being honest was one of his most prominent life mottos, so he went for everything. She stayed silent for the five minutes the explanation took, and with a deep breath (and apparently no small amount of contained irritation -was that incredulity?) forced Kuroko to stay home.

"How can you even think of going to work when all of this-" She began, only to be cut off by an equally stressed Kuroko.

"But what about the others? We're short-staffed as it is; I need to-" It was like a game of who spoke over who, and Mrs. Mayumi being his superior, won quite easily.

"No. You've earned yourself the right to at least hree months worth a vacation. You have a spotless record and you've come in on days you should have stayed home." With a tone that screamed authority and finality, she delivered the final blow. Kuroko stayed silent the whole time.

"I want you to stay home and tend to Aomine, and yourself. If I see you _anywhere _near the school, I _will _force you to go back home. Now," she started one last time.

"Turn around, and start walking, if you will." Quietly, Kuroko stayed put, his mouth pulling downwards as the disturbing feeling of leaving his work unattended settled in his stomach. As if sensing his hesitation, the Principal coughed. "Three months. You can come back after three months. Take care." Then, the distinctive beep of an ended call.

Kuroko walked back to his apartment, a hole forming in his chest as unease rushed through him. Stopping in front of his door, the knob remained still until he calmed down. While he really was a workaholic and actually felt terrible for a five-minute tardy, going somewhere that didn't make Daiki's condition blaringly obvious was something he needed. A distraction, and something he could throw himself into easily; smiling children and helpful coworkers were just what he needed, but he had been deprived of that, too.

The teacher felt even worse when he realized the train of thought he had allowed himself to follow. He should want to help Daiki with his recovery, to be with him and be of as much assistance as possible, but his life had seemed to derail from its usually calm and peaceful path, and it hadn't allowed him to catch his breath for even a second, being bombarded with worry and fear from the moment he got the call.

With a heavy sigh and a shake of his head, Kuroko went back into his flat and left his coat in the closet to the right of the entrance, cerulean eyes immediately tracking Daiki. He found him lying on his back comfortably, a goofy grin on his face as he snorted at whatever was playing on the TV. He couldn't help but smile, the youthful expression on Daiki's face lifting his own gloom. Suddenly, eyes like midnight met his own, and widened in embarrassed shock as the boy hurriedly lifted himself up with a blush on his face. He straightened his back and cleared his throat, seemingly expecting an explanation as to why his caretaker was back so soon.

"I'm going to be taking care of you full time." Tried the teacher. As if he didn't care, Daiki shrugged, muttering under his breath. "I'll be in your care then." He then proceeded to continue watching the TV to hide his shame, soon forgetting it in favor of the show.

Kuroko tried to speak and get him to open up, but talking to a thirty year old Daiki when he was busy was hard, and talking to a thirteen year old one proved to be far beyond Kuroko's persuasive ability, so he gave up soon. Not only were there not any subjects of mutual interest (besides basketball, but that just seemed silly), but Daiki didn't know _him_.

Kuroko's hands clenched tightly at the reminder.

To distract himself, the teacher looked over to the clock handing on the wall on top of Daiki, heaving a breath when he saw that it was barely half past nine. He took off his shoes and went for the kitchen, thinking a cup of coffee would hit him just fine that moment. He tried to ignore how wrong it felt when he did, as Daiki always, always told him to 'never touch the thing' since he 'couldn't use it to save his life'.

Kuroko slammed two cups down, one navy blue and one black, which scared the boy, if his yelp was any indication. "Sorry." He apologized, but the tone was bitter and unfeeling. Daiki stared at him for a couple of seconds, and then shifted his gaze to the cups. He quirked an eyebrow at the blue one. "You like your coffee, huh?" He didn't respond, but the teacher's slight glare was answer enough. "I can't drink coffee."

Kuroko nodded, and then, almost mechanically, threw the apparently offending liquid into the sink. He plopped down on the couch next to Daiki, but left as much space between them as he could.

"Mom doesn't let me." He offered as an explanation. "Says the caffeine gives me a sugar rush I don't need." Kuroko chuckled as the image of a tiny, dark-skinned ball of activity called Aomine Daiki bounced off the walls of his huge mansion, destroying everything and some more in his path popped into his head. The expression quickly turned into a scoff as he thought of Daiki's mother, and their last conversation.

"I'm not your mother." He almost spat. The tone made Daiki flinch, and in turn, Kuroko apologized again profusely, guiltily looking away from his charge. "I didn't mean it like that."

Almost shyly, the boy nodded and Kuroko could have sworn a thousand and one different thoughts passed through his head.

"Yeah, I know." Daiki placed his hand under his chin and looked towards the window, no longer paying attention to the almost white noise coming from the TV. Kuroko gingerly sipped at his coffee and stayed silent even when it burned his tongue.

It was awkward. He could see from the corner of his eyes how the boy twitched at the slightest movement Kuroko made, and how his eyes nervously darted around the room. His hands trembled and it was so incredibly_ wrong. _Daiki was all about shouting his beliefs at the top of his lungs, setting his foot down when he disagreed and not budging an inch. He was strong and confident, brash and free to do whatever he pleased, whenever he pleased because he was Aomine Daiki and no one told him what to do.

No one.

A subdued, nervous, trembling, and polite Daiki was far more irking than anything he had ever had to live with, and it had barely been a day. It didn't make sense, either. Daiki was obnoxious and bright from day one, at the start of middle school. It felt like he was dealing with an entirely different person.

It was going to be a process; a slow and painful one, but it was something he had to do nonetheless. Kuroko wasn't one to sit around and mope; he did things the moment he set himself to them, and so, with newfound resolve (which in retrospective he still doesn't know where he pulled out of) looked at Daiki with determination burning in his eyes.

He got along fine with the boy when he first met him, and it wasn't going to be any different this time, even if there was about a twenty year age gap between them.

"If you're going to live here," he started, followed by a glance at Daiki. "-you're going to have to talk to me through more than grunts." Daiki shrunk in response, followed by a small 'hmph.' This only served to irk Kuroko, and he raised an eyebrow before clearing his throat and staring pointedly.

Seconds passed, and then minutes.

"Okay-" Internally, Kuroko was having a small victory party, until the boy finished. "-but, don't complain later." The weight those words carried was not left unnoticed. The teacher placed his hand on Daiki's much bigger head. "Didn't you hear me a while ago?"

He laughed when the kid's eyebrow's furrowed, comically slow. Kuroko's smile never faltered. "I'm not your mother." He said. Daiki barely nodded, but there was a grin forming on his face that he was very obviously trying to fight. Yet, just like everything about him, it shone through regardless.

Daiki barely spoke for the rest of the day, but there was an air of, perhaps not trust, but peace around him and his replies seemed much more mindless whenever Kuroko asked anything. Mostly in a groggy mindset, he kept himself busy with the television, and only left when the teacher asked something of him.

Once dinner time came around, though, he was quite talkative- but only if you compared it to his 'usual' self. Daiki spoke of his hobbies and of basketball. Or perhaps of basketball and his hobbies, because basketball was on an entirely different level, obviously. He talked about, if only slightly, life at his home and how his parents were, that one maid he really liked named Hanako. He also spoke about Momoi, referring to her as Satsuki, or his favorite endearment-proof one, 'that stupid girl.' Kuroko just laughed, much to Daiki's chagrin.

By the end of the meal, the he and Daiki were quite full, but they kept talking anyway. The boy's eyes lit up and Kuroko could tell- He understood it so much it hurt- how deprived the boy was. He literally had no one, no one, to talk to and the moment someone listened for even a second, it all came pouring out like the torrent of emotions and experiences it was.

One look at the teacher's indulgent and happy face had him reeling. He tensed in his seat, and his cheeks were brighter than a tomato on a good day. "I told you to not complain later."

"I'm not."

"Then stop giving me that weird look, you-" He stopped mid-sentence, eyebrows lifting and eyes softening, as if a realization hit him. Then, he fiercely looked at Kuroko. "What should I call you?" Taken aback by Daiki's sudden intensity, (which really shouldn't surprise him anymore, Daiki could probably stare the life out of an owl) he was rooted to the spot.

"Uh, yes?" He asked smartly.

"Your name-" Daiki fumbled with his words momentarily, and then his whole body lit up in satisfaction. "Kuroko Tetsu, right?" The teacher didn't know if he should smile or be upset. 'Tetsu'. It was almost funny how, even with no memories, Daiki still managed to call him that. It was like something up there was pulling at his heart strings, and found some deep-rooted sick pleasure in seeing him suffer.

"You almost got it. My full name is Kuroko Tetsuya-" He clicked his tongue- really had to get rid of that habit. "-Aomine." Daiki nodded. "Yeah, but Kuroko makes me feel like I'm talking to someone way younger than me, and Tetsuya's a mouthful. You're Tetsu to me." He then bristled and added as an afterthought, "If it's fine with you…"

The teacher slumped in his seat and almost into his plate. Yes, someone up there definitely hated him. Nonetheless, he agreed.

"Yes, that's fine."It was worth every clench his heart did when Daiki smiled, though.

The clock chimed eight and they stood up from their seats, Kuroko to wash the dishes (he'd have his chores doubled, now that Daiki was out of commission, but then again, he also didn't have to work- not to mention his lover barely did chores) and Daiki to watch TV, for the seventeenth time in the day. His eyes lost focus by nine, and by nine fifteen he was falling asleep, the remote control slipping out of his hands slowly.

"Aomine, go to bed if you're tired." Kuroko chimed, worried for Daiki's health. Even if he had to change his bandages, but that could wait until ex-policeman needed as much sleep as he could get, and it wasn't doing him any good to watch such a pointless TV show. Regardless of it being the older man's preference, too. Kuroko always berated him for watching it- Top Gear, stupidest show on Earth, if he had any say in it.

"'m not tired."

Kuroko stared at him. "Of course you're not; that yawn isn't an indication at all." A grin was his only response, and the boy stood up to stretch as far as he could, popping his bones into place.

"You win this time, Tetsu." Daiki shuffled towards the bedroom, but then stopped and looked from Kuroko, to the sofa, to the bedroom. "Where're you gonna sleep?" He half-slurred.

"Hmmm?" The dishes were done, and he took off his gloves to look at the boy. "In the sofa, just like yesterday." Daiki stared, and Kuroko did th same.

"Isn't this- your house?"

The teacher heaved a sigh and walked over to Daiki. "First of all- our house." He pointed to the both of them with a finger. "You are living here now, am I wrong?"

"Well, no, but-"

Kuroko interrupted. "No buts." He shook his head. "The sick get priority in this household, and so, off to bed, now." Daiki pouted the moment Kuroko mentioned 'sick', but didn't really say anything to defend his healthiness.

"The bed's huge. That's not really a good point." The teen huffed out. Kuroko just side-glanced him, eyebrows taking on the shape of slight annoyance, but on the inside he was at a loss of what to do. He was worried. The teacher snuggled up to the man in his sleep instinctively, and just the thought of having him at his side but not being able to touch him had him reeling.

It was also true that injured and sick people were of his utmost concern, and Daiki moved plenty while he was asleep- He was going to do enough damage to himself without Kuroko there to help him, and so it was decided.

"No." Kuroko crossed his arms, sternly staring at the boy, until he clicked his tongue and shied his eyes away from the intense look. Once again, silence befell the cozy apartment, and Daiki returned himself to the television as a means for distraction from the other, his sleepiness fading from the squabble.

Since he wasn't going to sleep, anyway, Kuroko decided to clean and rewrap the bandages around the big lump on his charge's partly shaven head. It was an exercise in patience, as the boy was restless and wouldn't sit still, but even more so his neck was moving in an effort to throw skittering glances at him, not used to the kind and tender hands.

As Kuroko finished, he lightly patted Daiki's head while his eyes swept over the room towards the big clock on the wall reading five minutes to ten. It was just a matter of seconds before it became a glaring contest.

It was like they were fourteen all over again- Kuroko and his best friend at three in the morning, with a stern expression decorating his face and a feeling in the back of his head that predicted the black bags that would sit under his eyes next morning. Daiki would hold a challenging scoff, screaming 'you're not my mother', 'I do what I want', morphing slowly into 'Come on, Tetsu' and just a smidgen of very manly puppy eyes.

It was always five in the morning by the time they were done, in between pillow fights and just passing a ball while they spoke of big dreams and small worries, and half an hour later after wriggling into bed (not to sleep, of course; just to poke each other in the stomach with whichever extremities got there faster in a competition based on don't-giggle-and-wake-the-team-up- and Akashi always made them run ten extra laps when they eventually lost.)

And just like back then, Kuroko couldn't help the tiny smile that formed on his lips; already having lost the moment he looked at the clock. Sighing, he nodded once and his lips quirk again at the jump and pump Daiki does before running concernedly at his side as he sits back down, clutching his head.

"Just dizzy- Shouldn't have done that." Kuroko agrees in his head, but he doesn't say anything because it's been a long day for the boy already, there's no need to make it worse.

He settled down to watch TV with the now ex-policeman, and decides on some boring cooking show that neither he nor Daiki are watching. He got the results he had expected, or hoped for soon enough, a weight falling on his shoulder and the distinctive sound of Daiki sleeping filled the living room.

Looking over, the teacher stared at the relaxed expression, Daiki's cheekbones, his short hair (and those _two_ gray ones, one and a half, if you asked the man), his eyebrows, the curve of his chin and his nose, dark skin marred by tiny scars he had gotten over the years and the need to run pale hands through midnight-blue hair overtook him. Daiki's asleep; guilt rose in him like a backwards waterfall, but Kuroko gave in. Every inch his hands got closer to the tired face, his shame rose.

But it became a need, almost.

He placed his right hand on Daiki's cheek, relearning the warmth and feel of his skin in a split second, slowly moving the offending limb towards his hair and twirling his fingers with enough care to leave his already injured head as it is. Kuroko left his hand like that for minutes, and ran his hand down the taller one's nose, against his eyelashes and eyelids, turning his body to see the face of the man he fell in love with clearly.

The extra weight that fell on him as he turned was unexpected if not unwelcome, and Kuroko found himself leaning on the couch to support it as Daiki's head now rested on his chest instead of his shoulders. As he looked down, one last surge of guilt hit him, together with the faintest traces of shamelessness lighting up in him once again.

Slowly, making sure that his companion was by no means awake or close to consciousness, the teacher rested his chin in between tufts of hair- the smell of aftershave, mint, leather and a touch of _him,_ and not for the last time, it was like he was ripped in half over and over again. The tears came and they went, together with the ticking of the clock, the kisses to the crown of his head with barely audible 'I love you's.

(He wanted to stop, right then and there. It was wrong, it was wrong but he also didn't care anymore because he was madly in love and everything had been taken away from him- all of it. And damn him if he couldn't even tell Daiki how much he loved him when the man couldn't even hear the words to begin with.)

The morning came as suddenly as sleep had caught him some time after five because his own salted water kept him awake; his muscles ached and so did his head, his eyes were irritated and swollen and his throat felt like he had eaten a pile of wood. There was also a shirt, one he recognized as Daiki's on him, but the owner was somewhere out of his sight.

Tiredly, Kuroko groaned as he sat up and removed the shirt, his bones creaking and popping as he remembered belatedly that Daiki was heavy. Very heavy.

Rubbing his eyes to wake up, mental alarms flared up in his mind when he came to the full understanding of his charge not being there. The boy was noisy and destructive, and it didn't usually take more than two seconds for Kuroko to find him, as he was always doing something that garnered attention.

Daiki wasn't in the kitchen, or in their room, or in the bathroom or anywhere within reason. It was barely eleven in the morning, and he was already up and running like a madman was chasing him, five minutes after cracking his eyes open.

The last choice he had was the 'room', but neither of them ever went in there, eventually turning into a storage room, instead of what it was originally intended for; Daiki was never there. Of course, Kuroko was nothing if not thorough, so just to make sure, he checked it for any sign of the man.

Not all that surprised, after what seemed like three hours with worry at the top of his lungs, he found him precisely where he had least expected him to be, in front of the piano (that no one had touched in years; the thing was just collecting dust) perched on the seat in front, the tap lifted and his fingers hovering over the white keys , the outside world blocked.

"Good morning." Kuroko tried. Daiki jumped and screamed, almost bodily swerving to look at him. As a reaction, his body fell when he tripped over literally nothing and together with a loud thump that shook the floor and his limbs all over the place, he was on his butt in a split second.

Kuroko stopped himself at the last moment from laughing, not too worried for Daiki's behind or well being; more preoccupied for his pride, and also interested in the reason he was in the room in the first place. When he asked after his charge stood up rubbing his back and groaning, he shrugged.

"It's been ages since I've tried the piano. I can tell." Daiki looked towards his fingers with a small amount of contempt. "I can feel how stiff my fingers are when I even try to do anything." He grunted. "Can't even play." He clenched and unclenched them, testing out the flexibility and mobility before huffing angrily.

Kuroko humored him. "Maybe if you start practicing again you'll get better." Smiling at him in an effort to give him a light push, Kuroko soon frowned when Daiki turned to look at him with an expression full of disdain. Like he was stupid, or didn't understand anything.

How he hated that expression- It was hard to control the hurt from showing on his face, but he managed somehow, feeling dumb afterwards because the ex-policeman wouldn't have been able to tell from the barely noticeable changes in his face, anyway.

Daiki caught onto it, though.

"I mean-" He stuttered. His hands flapped everywhere as he gesticulated in an attempt to apologize and explain while not making things worse, and he finally settled with a bright red blush when Kuroko raised an eyebrow at him.

"It's not coming to me naturally." Daiki offered.

"Ah." Was all he could say in response. Apparently, that wasn't enough for the boy, because right after, his cheeks puffed up and his eyebrows furrowed angrily, like he had been expecting something else.

Kuroko opened his mouth to say something, anything, but Daiki beat him to it.

"Whatever."

The good mood surrounding them fell apart in an instant, making it feel like a distant illusion. It was a bit painful to see his face scrunch up in disappointment, but Kuroko had seen enough of that in his life to have much of a reaction. What truly surprised him was the quick and acute slam of the piano's top back into place, followed shortly by Daiki storming out of the room like a teenager in a mood.

He didn't even try to follow the boy; instead he sat down on the piano's stool, letting his head fall on the wooden surface.

"What do I do?" He cried pitifully, but Daiki was far out of earshot by then.

"What do I do?" He repeated.

* * *

More drama and more crying, but he's gonna be done with it soon. Also OOC Aomine creeps the hell out of me, but it's necessary for now. I'm sorry. Don't have a lot to say on this chapter.

Once again, I apologize for the lateness.

SW


End file.
